Apparatus for driving filamentary material collectors



APPARATUS FOR DRIVING FILAMENTARY MATERIAL COLLECTORS Filed June 21,1965 May 21, 1968 F. ca. HEUMANN 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. FREflF/CA aHa/MAA/A/ y 1968 F. G. HEUMANN 3,384,315

APPARATUS FOR DRIVING FILAMENTARY MATERIAL COLLECTORS Filed June 21,1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 3,384,315 APPARATUS FORDRIVING FILAMENTARY MATERIAL COLLECTORS Frederick G. Heumann, Anderson,S.C., assignor to Owens-Corning Fiberglas Corporation, a corporation ofDelaware Filed June 21, 1965, Ser. No. 465,625

3 Claims. (Cl. 242-46.6)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The disclosure embraces an adapterconstruction for use on a spindle of a bobbin winder or twister machine,the adapter comprising a member molded of resinous material having aslotted skirt portion providing deflectable sections which, when engagedwith a bobbin, are stressed to provide a nonslipping drive for thebobbin.

This invention relates to an apparatus for driving collectors or bobbinsfor winding, processing or packaging filamentary materials and moreparticularly to a method of and means for establishing a drive forbobbins mounted on rotatable spindles of apparatus employed inprocessing, collecting or packaging filamentary materials such asstrands or yarns.

It has been conventional practice in bobbin winders or twister machinesto provide bobbins or collectors which are removably mounted on spindlesdriven at high speeds wherein a large number of spindles is mounted on areciprocable bolster rail driven from a common drive arrangement. Thebobbins or collectors are of generally cylindrical or tubular shapehaving comparatively thin walls, the bobbins being adapted to betelescoped onto driving spindles. Heretofore a conventional means forestablishing a drive between a spindle and bobbin comprisedcircumferentially spaced plate springs on the spindle which frictionallyengaged the inner wall of a bobbin to establish a drive for the bobbin.

The use of springs for establishing a drive between a bobbin and spindledoes not effect positive centering of the bobbin on a spindle due to theresiliency of the springs. Furthermore, a resilient mounting may resultin an outof-balance condition set up during packaging or twisting ofstrands or yarns setting up vibration, which is accentuated at highspindle speeds.

Adapters have been used in establishing drive connections betweenspindles and bobbins as adapters may be of sizes to mount bobbins ofvarious sizes without change in the driving spindle construction.Adapters have been utilized having distensible rubber-like members toestablish drive connections between spindles and bobbins. With adaptersof this character, centrifugal forces are relied upon to distend themembers for establishing a friction drive connection but the resiliencyof the rubber medium may result in an out-of-balance condition and lackof positive centering of the bobbin with the axis of the drive spindle.

The present invention embraces an apparatus for establishing aneffective drive through an adapter between a spindle and a bobbin orcollector in which centrifugal forces have little effect on the driveconnection for the bobbin so that a substantially nonslipping drive isassured at all speeds of the bobbin and drive spindle.

Another object of the invention resides in an adapter constructioncarried by and locked to a drive spindle or blade and configurated orshaped to establish a substantially nonslipping drive with a bobbinthrough friction or gripping engagement between the adapter constructionand the bobbin.

Another object of the invention resides in an adapter ice molded ofresinous material and shaped to provide distortable or defiectableregions or sections which, when engaged with a bobbin are stressed toprovide a nonslipping drive for the bobbin.

Another object of the invention resides in an apparatus for packagingfilamentary material on collectors or bobbins driven by rotatablespindles wherein adapter means carried by the spindles provide frictiondrive connections with the bobbins of a character substantiallyeliminating slippage between the collectors or bobbins and the adaptersat all operating speeds.

Another object of the invention resides in adapters fashioned ofnonmetallic material for disposition between a drive spindle and abobbin which may be of various sizes to accommodate bobbins havingdifferent interior diameters.

Further objects and advantages are within the scope of this inventionsuch as relate to the arrangement, operation and function of the relatedelements of the structure, to various details of construction and tocombinations of parts, elements per se, and to economics of manufactureand numerous other features as will be apparent from a consideration ofthe specification and drawing of a form of the invention, which may bepreferred, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an isometric view of a portion of a textile strand or yarntwisting or packaging apparatus with which the bobbin driving method andarrangement of the invention has particular utility;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view illustrating a form of spindlemounting, adapter and bobbin drive arrangement of the invention;

FIGURE 3 is an isometric view illustrating a form of adapter and lockingmeans therefor shown in disassembled relation;

FIGURE 4- is a vertical sectional view of adapter and locking meansshown in FIGURE 3, and

FIGURE 5 is a bottom plan view of the adapter shown in FIGURES 3 and 4.

While the method and bobbin drive arrangement of the invention areparticularly adaptable for establishing an effective drive between aspindle and a bobbin of a strand or yarn packaging or twistingapparatus, it is to be understood that the drive method and arrangementof the invention may be employed for driving other forms of rotatablecollectors for packaging or processing linear materials.

Referring to the drawings in detail and initially to FIG- URE 1, thereis illustrated a conventional type of twister or bobbin windingapparatus 10 for packaging or processing filamentary materials. Theapparatus 16 is inclusive of a frame structure comprising spacedhousings 12, one at each end of the apparatus, one of the housings beingillustrated in FIGURE 1.

The housings 12 are connected by bolster rails 14, one of which is shownin FIGURE 1, and by a supply package mounting structure or creel 16 andby other conventional frame members (not shown).

The creel structure 16 is equipped with a plurality of strand packagesupports or mandrels (not shown), each mandrel adapted to support asupply package 20 of textile strand, yarn or filamentary material 22 tobe twisted, packaged or processed by the apparatus. A bolster rail 14 isarranged at each side of the apparatus, each rail supporting a pluralityof spindle mounting units 24, one of which is illustrated in detail inFIGURE 2.

As shown in FIGURE 2, each spindle mounting unit 24 comprises arelatively stationary shaft or blade 26 having a tenon portion 28extending through a bushing 29, a flange or shoulder 30' on the bladeabutting or engaging the upper surface of the bushing 29. The bushing a29 has a tenon portion 31 extending into an opening in a horizontalportion of the bolster rail 14.

The tenon 28 is threaded to accommodate securing nuts 32, a washer 34being disposed between one of the nuts and the bolster rail 14, thisarrangement securely mounting the blade or shaft 26 on the bolster rail.The shaft or blade 26 accommodates a hollow or tubular spindle 36provided at its lower end with a whorl 38 arranged to be engaged by adriving belt or tape 40 for rotating the spindle. The whorl 38 isrecessed to accommodate an anti-friction or ball bearing construction 42retained in the recess by a retainer 44.

The upper end of the spindle 36 is recessed to accommodate ananti-friction bearing construction such as a needle bearing 48, the endof the spindle provided with a cap 52. The spindles 36 are adapted to bedriven simultaneously by the single drive belt 40 engaging the whorls38. Idler rolls 58 are disposed adjacent the driving belt adjacent eachwhorl, the idler rolls being adjustable by conventional means (notshown) for moving the drive belt toward or away from each whorl toselectively establish or interrupt the drive to each spindle.

As shown in FIGURE 1 the driving belt 40 extends lengthwise of theapparatus and is engaged with a drive pulley 62 mounted upon a shaft 64driven by an electrically energized motor 66 through power transmissionmechanism or gearing of conventional construction contained within ahousing 68 disposed at one end of the motor 66. The motor 66 is mountedupon a supplemental frame 70 disposed adjacent one end of the apparatus.

The apparatus includes conventional ring rails 72, one being illustratedin FIGURE 1, a second rail (not shown) being arranged at the oppositeside of the apparatus. Each ring rail 72 is arranged to be reciprocatedin a vertical direction by conventional means (not shown) driven H bythe motor 66. Each ring rail is provided with circular openings 74 toaccommodate the spindles and bobbins driven thereby, each circularopening being defined by a circular track 76 mounting a traveler orfiyer 78 which is freely rotatable on the track around the adjacentspindle and bobbin, the strand or yarn 22 being threaded through theflyer in a conventional manner.

The twister apparatus includes feed roll units 80, there being one feedroll unit for each strand or yarn, the feed roll units 80 being ofconventional construction. The strand or yarn feeding rolls 82 of eachunit are driven from a shaft 84 rotated by a belt 86 from powertransmission mechanism of conventional construction enclosed within ahousing 88 and driven by power transmission mechanism in the housing 68through pulleys 89 and a belt 90. Each of the feed units 80 isconstructed to automatically interrupt the feed of a strand or yarn 22in the event of breakage.

Each of the spindles 36 is adapted to mount or support a collector orbobbin 94 upon which strand or yarn is wound. Most bobbins currentlybeing used are fashioned of molded resinous material or plastic of rigidcharacter and having comparatively thin walls. As shown in FIGURE 2, thelower end of the bobbin 94 may be formed with a circular flange 96providing an abutment surface for filamentary material wound upon thebobbin. The conventional type of molded plastic bobbin is fashioned withan exterior surface 98 of circular cylindrical shape, the inner surface99 provided with a slight taper throughout its length with the smallerdiameter at the upper end.

The slight amount of taper or draft is necessary in the moldingoperation of forming the bobbin to enable the removal of the moldedbobbin from the dies. The invention provides a method of and adaptermeans for establishing an effective nonslipping drive connection betweena spindle 36 and a bobbin 94.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGURE 2, the spindle 36 is adapted tosupport or mount adapter means,

preferably in the form of two substantially identical adapterconstructions or components 100 and 100.

The adapter constructions 100 and 100 are substantially identical exceptin a minor respect hereinafter explained and hence a description of theadapter unit 100 will sufiice as a description of both units employedfor establishing a drive connection with the bobbin. Each of the adapterunits is inclusive of a body 102 and a locking means 104, thesecomponents being particularly illustrated in FIGURES 3 and 4. Theadapter body is molded of resinous material or plastic such as nylon(polyamide), Delrin (polyoxymethylene) or other suitable resinousmaterial. If desired, a reinforcement such as glass fibers may beembodied in the molding resin in molding the adapter bodies 102.

As particularly shown in FIGURES 3 and 4, the adapter body 102 isfashioned with a central bore 106 of a dimension so as to be snugly, yetslidably, received on the tubular spindle 36. In the embodimentillustrated, the body 102 is preferably fashioned with an annular recess108 providing an annular skirt or skirt portion 110. The skirt portion110 is provided with a substantially cylindrical exterior surface 112 ofa diameter slightly greater than the interior diameter of the region ofthe bobbin to be engaged with the surface 112.

As previously pointed out, the interior surface 100 of the bobbin 94 isslightly tapered with the smaller diameter at the upper end of thebobbin, and the diameter of the surface 112 on the adapter body isslightly greater than the diameter of the interior of the bobbin 94.Thus, the diameter of the surface 112 of the upper adapter unit 100 isslightly less than that diameter of the surface 112 of the lowermostadapter unit 100 so that the surfaces 112 of both adapter units 100 and100' are properly engaged with the inner surface of the bobbin 94.

The skirt portion 110 including the cylindrical portion 112 of eachadapter body is provided with circumferentially spaced slots 114arranged lengthwise of the axis of the adapter body, the slots definingsections, petals or petal-like portions 116 as illustrated in FIGURES 2,3 and 4. The sections or petals 116, provided by the slots 114, areadapted to be distorted, stressed or deflected inwardly when the bobbin94 is telescoped over the adapter units and occupies the relativeposition illustrated in FIGURE 2.

As the diameter of the portion 112 of the skirt 110 is greater than theinterior diameter of the bobbin, the bobbin distorts or deflects thepetals 116 inwardly so that a substantial amount of friction isinitially set up between the petals 116 and the bobbin 94 sufiicient toprovide a nonslipping drive connection between the adapter and thebobbin at all speeds of rotation.

While the amount of friction for establishing the drive between theadapter means and the bobbin is comparatively high, it is not of suchmagnitude as to prevent slidable removal of a bobbin from the adaptermeans and the telescoping of an empty bobbin onto the adapter means.

It is found preferable to fashion the cylindrical skirt portion 112 of adiameter between about twenty thousandths of an inch and fiftythousandths of an inch greater than the diameter at the region of thebobbin 94 which is engaged with the petals or sections 116 provided bythe skirt, with the diameter of surface 112 of the skirt portion of unit100' slightly greater than that of the unit 100 because the interiordiameter of the bobbin 94 at the lower end is greater than its diameterat the region of engagement with the adapter 100'.

One minor difference is provided between the adapter unit 100 and theadapter unit 100', the latter being engaged with the lower end of thebobbin. The body 102 of the adapter unit 100" is fashioned with acircular shoulder 120, as shown in FIGURE 2. The shoulder 120 isprovided simply as a visual signal to inform the operator that thecomponents equipped with shoulders are for assembly on the spindle 36adjacent the whorls 38 engaged by the rotor of the bobbin 94.

Each of the adapters is inclusive of a locking means 104 for locking theadapter body to the spindle 36. The locking member or collar 104 isfashioned with a bore 122 preferably of the same diameter as the bore106 in the adapter body 102.

The locking member 104 is fashioned with a cylindrical counterbore 124which is generated about an axis offset from or eccentric to the axis ofthe bore 122. The eccentricity of the counterbore 124 is exaggerated inFIGURES 3 and 4 for purposes of illustration.

The end of each adapter body 102 opposite the skirt portion 110 isfashioned with a cylindrical tenon 126 which is likewise generated aboutan axis offset from or eccentric to the axis of the bore 106 as shown inFIG- URES 3 and 4. In assembling the adapter means and the locking meanson a spindle 36, the adapter body 102 of the adapter unit 100' is firstfitted onto the spindle adjacent the whorl 38. The locking member 104 istelescoped onto the spindle and the counterbore 124 engaged with thecylindrically-shaped eccentric tenon 126. The collar or locking member104 is then rotated through a partial revolution relative to the body102, and through the media of the eccentric tenon, the locking memberand adapter body are Wedgingly locked onto the spindle 36.

The same assembly procedure is employed in assembling the upper adapterunit 100 onto a spindle which is locked in position by partial rotationof the collar or looking member 104. The locking collar need be rotatedthrough only a small portion of a revolution to effect a locking orWedging engagement of the collar and adapter body with the spindle.

Through this arrangement, the adapter units are securely locked to aspindle and, through the deflection of the petal-like portions 116inwardly by the bobbin when the bobbin is assembled on the adapters asubstantially nonslipping friction drive connection is attained betweenthe adapter and the bobbin at all speeds of rotation simply throughfriction engagement of the petals 116 with the interior surface of thetubular bobbin 94. It is to be understood that other forms of lockingmeans may be employed to secure the adapter bodies 102 onto spindles.

It is apparent that, within the scope of the invention, modificationsand different arrangements may be made other than as herein disclosed,and the present disclosure is illustrative merely, the inventioncomprehending all variations thereof.

I claim:

1. An adapter for a rotatable bobbin for packaging filamentary material,said adapter being of molded resin and having a bore to be received on adrive spindle, said adapter having a surface eccentric to the axis ofthe bore therein, a locking member having a surface cooperating with theeccentric surface on the adapter for securing the adapter to the drivespindle, said adapter having an annular skirt, said annular skirt havingcircumferentially spaced slots defining segmental sections forengagement with a bobbin.

2. Apparatus for winding filamentary material upon a tubular bobbinincluding, in combination, a support, means mounted by the supportjournally mounting a rotatable member, said member adapted to receive abobbin, an adapter comprising a body of resinous material formed with alengthwise bore to be received on the rotatable member, said body havingan annular skirt portion providing a peripheral surface area of slightlylarger diameter than the interior diameter of the tubular bobbin, saidskirt portion having circumferentially spaced slots providing sectionsengageable with the interior surface of the bobbin for establishing afriction driving connection with the bobbin, said body having acylindrical surface eccentric to the bore therein, a locking memberhaving a bore to be received on the rotatable member, said lockingmember having a cylindrical surface cooperable With the eccentricsurface of the body whereby partial rotation of the locking memberrelative to the body locks the body and locking member on the rotatablemember.

3. Apparatus for winding filamentary material upon a tubular bobbinincluding, in combination, a support, means mounted by the supportjournally mounting a rotatable spindle, said spindle adapted to receivea bobbin, a pair of adapters, each adapter comprising a body of resinousmaterial formed with a lengthwise bore to be received on the spindle,each adapter having a circumferential skirt portion providing aperipheral surface area of slightly larger diameter than the interiordiameter of the tubular bobbin, the skirt portion of each adapter havingcircumferentially spaced slots providing petals engageable with theinterior surface of the bobbin for establishing a friction drivingconnection With the bobbin, each of said adapters having a cylindricalsurface eccentric to the bore therein, a locking member for each adapterhaving a bore to be received on the spindle, each locking member havinga cylindrical interior surface cooperable with the eccentric surface ofthe adjacent body whereby partial rotation of the locking memberrelative to the body locks the adapter body and locking member on thespindle.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,024,396 4/1912 Cunniff 242-4661,053,313 2/1913 Morton 24246.6 1,058,780 4/1913 Morton 24246.61,075,461 10/1913 Chapman 24246.6 1,779,099 10/ 1930 Magrath 24246.62,136,073 11/1938 Cooper 24246.6 X 2,704,638 3/ 1955 Eheim 24246.33,048,002 8/ 1962 Jost 242465 X 3,101,911 8/1963 Carroll et a] 24246.63,272,447 9/ 1966 Ewing et al. 24246.6 X 2,773,346 12/1956 Childs et a124246.2 X 3,300,153 1/1967 Fenn 24246.21

FOREIGN PATENTS 729,831 5/1932 France. 1,366,530 6 /1964 France.

606,555 7/ 1960 Italy.

STANLEY N. GILREATH, Primary Examiner.

